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Site Name: VA Medical Center, San Francisco

Department: Psychological Services

Department : Psychological Services

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1156
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: VA Medical Center, San Francisco
Department: Psychological Services
Address: 4150 Clement Street 116B
San Francisco, California 94121
Country: United States
Metro Area: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Distance from Major City:
Phone: 415-221-4810x23926
Fax:
Email: Nicole.Torrence@va.gov
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/san-francisco-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/san-francisco-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director & Lead / Director: Nicole Torrence
Chief Psychologist: Jennifer Manuel
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 57
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 3
Position Information
Start Date: 07/01/2024
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 5
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 32079
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Dental Insurance, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): transportation benefits
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site Standard tour is 8-4:30 Monday through Friday
Does this site have practicum psychology students on site? Yes
Doctoral Psychology Practicum StudentsYes
Masters Psychology Practicum StudentsNo
Do Psychology Interns/Postdocs Have the Opportunity to Supervise Practicum Students?Yes
Is this program fully affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Is this program partially affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Internship Application Process
Accepting Applicants: Yes
Application Due Date: 11/01/2023 11:59 PM EST
Interviews at this site are: Not Offered
A Virtual Interview is: Required
Interview notification date: 12/15/2023
Tentative interview date: 1/9/2024; 1/10/2024; 1/11/2024; 1/16/2024; 1/17/2024;1/18/2024
Interview process description:

We will be holding virtual interviews on several dates in January:

  • Tuesday, January 9
  • Wednesday, January 10
  • Thursday, January 11
  • Tuesday, January 16
  • Wednesday, January 17
  • Thursday, January 18

We respect your schedule and will make every attempt to honor your preferences. Please review our 2023-2024 brochure for more information. In brief, we require all applicants to include their prefered Interview Dates in the cover letter to facilitate our interview process

Interviews:

Director of Training, Dr. Torrence, will notify you if you have been selected for an interview by December 15. We will be conducting virtual interviews with a potential option for an Open House day on campus depending on the pandemic.


Interviews will be scheduled during January 2024. Dr. Torrence will conduct a morning overview session and have time for questions. The rest of the interview day will consist of a series of 3-5, 45-minute interviews with key faculty and possibly a postdoctoral fellow (your preferences will be honored when possible) and a panel with the current interns.


Once you have been invited to interview, you may coordinate your date preferences with the program contact provided. Interview days are limited, but we will make every attempt to honor your preferences given the busy interview season. Please let us know if you have special requests for other dates. We may not be able to accommodate, but we will try.
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: 2008-present: University of Southern California, University of San Francisco, CSPP-Los Angeles, City University of New York - John Jay College, University of Colorado, Denver, University of Missouri, Columbia, University of South Florida, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Saint Louis University, Michigan State, Boston University, University of Minnesota, University of Pittsburgh, University of Arizona, Pennsylvania State, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Berkeley, University of Illinois, Chicago, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program, Marquette University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Temple University, Fordham University, Emory University, Northwestern University, Suffolk, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne, Uniformed Services University, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado State University
Internship Applicant Requirements
US Citizenship Required: Yes
If NOT a U.S. Citizen, Authorization to Work or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in the US is Required: No
Canadian Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a Canadian Citizen, Authorization to Work in Canada or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in Canada is Required: No
Masters Degree Required: No
Comprehensive Exams Passed: No
Dissertation Proposal Approved: No
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable): 3
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology Accepted
School Psychology Not Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited
Non-Accredited Not Accepted
Ph.D Degree Accepted
Psy.D. Degree Accepted
Ed.D. Degree Not Accepted
This institution, department, internship, or postdoctoral program requires trainees to sign a statement about personal behavior and/or religious beliefs as a condition of admission and/or retention in the program: No
How to obtain text of statement:
Other Requirements: Minimum of 1000 total practicum hours (collectively acquired through assessment, intervention and supervision) required to apply.
Program Description

San Francisco VA Healthcare System (SFVAHCS) offers a wealth of training options for doctoral interns under the supervision of experienced, licensed psychology staff. We stress general training in major practice areas in an integrative theoretical atmosphere as well as an emphasis on scholarly activity and research. Our internship is affiliated with University of California, San Francisco.

We offer generalist training across all five intern placements. In addition to our two generalists slots, we offer three tracks where trainees can obtain up to 50% of their clinical time, getting exposure to the following emphasis areas: neuropsychology, PTSD treatment, and geropsychology.

Rotation options at SFVAHCS include: Research Placement/Scholarly Project (required); Neuropsychological Assessment; Geropsychology; HIV/Liver, PCMHI, Substance Use Disorders via the Substance Use/PTSD Team or General Addictions Clinics; Behavioral Sleep Medicine; PTSD Treatment Team; Family Therapy Program; General Psych Outpatient Services, Women's Clinic, Severe Mental Illness; Psych Rehab; Inpatient Psychiatry; Primary Care; Group Therapy; and Evidence-based psychotherapies. Seminars and didactic training experiences are built in between SFVAHCS and UCSF.

There are opportunities to develop specialty interests in geropsychology, trauma treatment, substance use disorders treatment, behavioral medicine, and neuropsychological assessment. Our faculty represent a broad range of theoretical orientations and clinical and research backgrounds. Bios are included in our online brochure.

Interns may also apply to any of our 7 in-house research and 18 clinical postdoctoral fellowships allowing for multiple years of training at SFVAHCS.

Application ratings are based on the applicant's academic work and accomplishments, breadth and quality of previous clinical training (minimum of 1000 hours of practicum required), understanding and skills in psychological assessment, match between our training program and the applicant's needs and interests, letters of recommendation, personal qualities of the applicant (maturity, ethics, responsibility, self-awareness) and organization and clarity of written material. Ultimately, our selection criteria are based on a "goodness–of–fit" and we look for interns whose interests and training goals match the training that we offer.

Please see our Doctoral Internship Brochure for more information: Psychology Training Programs | VA San Francisco Health Care | Veterans Affairs

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations
Infants:
Toddlers:
Children:
Adolescents:
Adults: Yes
Family: Yes
Older Adults: Yes
Inpatients: Yes
Outpatients: Yes
Gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender: Yes
Ethnic minorities: Yes
Spanish-speaking:
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired:
Students: Yes
International Students:
Rural: Yes
Urban: Yes
Low income: Yes
Homelessness: Yes
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Family Therapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Group Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Community Intervention:
Consultation/Liaison: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Crisis Intervention: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Brief Psychotherapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Long-term Psychotherapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Primary Care: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Supervision of Practicum students : EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Other: telemental health

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Women's Health: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
HIV/AIDS: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Eating Disorders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Physical Disabilities: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Learning Disabilities: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Developmental Disabilities: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Neuropsychology-Adult: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Anxiety Disorders: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Trauma/PTSD: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Sexual Abuse: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Substance Use Disorders: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Feminist Therapy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Religion/Spirituality: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Public Policy/Advocacy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Program Development/Evaluation: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Supervision: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Research: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Administration: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - primary: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - specialty: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Other:

Additional information about training opportunities: Not all rotations or training experiences may be available as described in the APPIC Directory. Please consult the program's application materials or their website at: https://www.va.gov/san-francisco-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/  for a complete description of the training opportunities available at this training site. IF the site has not updated their information by August 1, feel free to contact the Training Director for additional information.

Summary of the Characteristics of the Specified Internship Class
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024
Number of Completed Applications: 145 129 97 113 118 155 130
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 38 35 35 43 52 49 48
Total number of interns: 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 5 5 5 4 5 4 3
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 0 0 0 1 0 1 2
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 5 5 5 5 5 3 4
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 2 1
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 3 1 4 1 5 5
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 62 91 38 125 37 50
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class (1st Placement)
2022-2023
Academic teaching:
Community mental health center: 0
Consortium: 0
University Counseling Center: 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 4
Psychiatric facility: 0
Correctional facility: 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0
School district/system: 0
Independent practice setting: 1
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0
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